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Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Probably some of you remember the 1980s sitcom Cheers. The music theme, written by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo, was “Where Everybody Knows Your Name”. It goes like this:

Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got.

Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.

Wouldn’t you like to get away?

Sometimes you want to go

Where everybody knows your name,

and they’re always glad you came.

You wanna be where you can see,

our troubles are all the same

You wanna be where everybody knows

Your name.

You wanna go where people know,

people are all the same,

You wanna go where everybody knows

Your name.

In that case it was a bar where people would meet for a drink, tell their stories and interact with each other. It was a very successful sitcom back then.

It is sad that people would need to go to a bar to be known by their names. The church was supposed to be that place, where people know each other, help each other, and grow together. This is what the apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians: “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:16.”

Unfortunately, people are leaving churches where they can be known by name to go to huge churches where they become unknown. They just disappear into the crowd. They do not want to get involved. They do not want to have relationships. They do not want to help someone to grow or to be helped in their spiritual growth.

Churches are becoming impersonal. People get there almost on time for the service. The lights are dimmed down, so you do not see people around you. You see only the band and the pastor and when it ends you pick up your stuff and kids and go home, only to come back next week.

If you are a Christian, a seeker, or just curious about Christianity, you need to know that when you become a Christian, you automatically become a member of His church. Being a member of His church means that you will be under the spiritual leadership of someone, you will have fellowship with other Christians for mutual support and growth, and you will be involved in His mission.

Maybe you did not get the memo. Maybe you thought that church was just one hour a week and you would be allowed to skip as many as you want if you did not like the message, or the people, or something else. Church is not a club. The church is the assembly of the people that were saved by Jesus’ grace. They gather together to worship, to support each other, to grow together, and to do HIs mission.

Are you going to a place on Sundays where they know you by name? Do you know them by name?